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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
FC Platinum’s incredible 29 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League games unbeaten run came to a halt on Saturday when they were felled 1-2 by ZPC Kariba. The miners’ run stretched from last season and they had been tagged early title favourites as they topped the league table with 20 points from six wins, two draws and a defeat.
FC Platinum’s last defeat had been on May 10, 2015, when they lost 0-1 to Dynamos in Harare. Since then, they’d recorded 18 wins and 11 draws. The ambitious Zvishavane-based side are two points ahead of second-placed Caps United and ZPC Kariba, who are tied on 18 points.
Central midfielder Winston Mhango, who has been in terrific form for FC Platinum and was on target on Saturday, described the loss to ZPC Kariba as a minor setback.
“In football there are three results, a win, a draw and a defeat. We had prepared for a win, but it was unfortunate that we came out of the game empty-handed. The guys gave their best, but losing is part of the game and what’s important is how you respond after such a result,” said Mhango.
“This is a minor setback and what we’ve to do now is to work hard and correct the mistakes we made. It’s still early days to pinpoint a team and say these are championship favourites; the league race is a marathon, which has many twists and turns,” he said.
On Saturday, Mhango gave the miners the lead with a stunning first half strike, but that was cancelled by Tawanda Nyamandwe of ZPC Kariba before the break. The electricity generators’ winner came through Nigel Tigere, who beat goalkeeper Petros Mhari from a free-kick at the death.
ZPC Kariba’s victory moved them to position three from four and they trail FC Platinum by two points. The electricity generators can be counted among the title contenders. Caps United failed to capitalise on FC Platinum’s stutter as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Triangle United on Sunday.
The only team that can dislodge FC Platinum from the top of the table is Highlanders, who were inactive because they have more than three players participating with the national teams. Bosso, who went into the weekend on position two, slid to fourth, with 17 points from eight matches.
If Highlanders play their outstanding game against Border Strikers and win, they will move to the top, tied on 20 points with FC Platinum because of a superior goal difference. Bulawayo City leapfrogged How Mine into sixth place following their 1-0 away victory against Mutare City Rovers where Mkhululi Moyo scored the winner for the City of Kings’ side.
While Bulawayo City’s coach Philani Ncube was happy with the win that saw his side swap places with How Mine, who were held 1-1 by Tsholotsho, the gold miners’ coach Kelvin Kaindu was left fuming at the Zhwane outfit for their time-wasting tactics.
Results
Saturday: FC Platinum 1-2 ZPC Kariba, Tsholotsho FC 1-1 How Mine, Chapungu 1-2 Dynamos
Sunday: Mutare City Rovers 0-1 Bulawayo City, Caps United 0-0 Triangle United, Ngezi Platinum Stars 1-2 Harare City, *Highlanders v Border Strikers (Barbourfields, POSTPONED), *Hwange v Chicken Inn (Colliery, POSTPONED)
*Matches postponed due to three or more players called for National team assignments.
derick.khumalo